iYersity o! the State ol New York Bulletin 

Entered as second-class matter August 2, 19131 at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y., 
under the act of August 34, 191a 

Published fortnightly 



No. 626 



ALBANY, N. Y. 



November i, 19 16 



' Division of Agricultural and Industrial Education 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE, MECHANIC ARTS 
AND HOMEMAKING 



PREPARED BY 

LAYTON S. HAWKINS 
t 

Specialist in Agricultural Education 



PAGE 

Division of Agricultural and In- 
dustrial Education 3 

Education Law relative to voca- 
tional instruction 3 

Notes on the law -- 8 

Establishment of a school of agri- 
culture, mechanic arts and 

homemaking 8 

Qualifications of teachers 9 

Types of schools of agricultiire, 

mechanic arts and homemaking 10 
Curriculums and courses ol study 1 1 
Notes concerning the curriculum 12 



PAGE 

State aid 13 

Summer work of the teacher of 

agriculture - 13 

Use of land 14 

Rooms and equipment .— 17 

Teacher of agriculture as princi- 
pal 2 1 

Nonresident tuition _. 22 

Time of receiving apportionments 22 

Academic counts 22 

Procedure in organizing schools of 
agriculture, mechanic arts and 

homemaking '. 22 



T38r-Agi6-3000 {7-20029) 



ALBANY 

THE UNIVERSITY OP THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

1916 



fi'onWaph 



THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

Regents of the University 
With years when terms expire 

1926 Pliny T. Sexton LL.B.LL.D. Chancellor - - Palm3rra 

1927 Albert Vander Veer M.D. M.A. Ph.D. LL.D. 

Vice Chancellor --------- Albany 

1922 Chester S. Lord M.A. LL.D. ----- Brooklyn 

1918 William Nottingham MA. Ph.D. LL.D. - -Syracuse 
192 1 Francis M. Carpenter ------- Mount Kisco 

1923 Abram I. Elkus LL.B. D.C.L. ----- New York 

1924 Adelbert Moot LL.D. ------- Buffalo 

1925 Charles B. Alexander M.A. LL.B. LL.D. 

Litt.D. ----------- Tuxedo 

1919 John Moore ---------- Elmira 

1928 Walter Guest Kellogg B.A. - - - - - Ogdensburg 
1917 William Berri - -------- -Brooklyn 

1920 James Byrne B.A. LL.B ------- New York 

President of the University and Commissioner of Education 

John H. Finley M.A. LL.D. L.H.D. 

Deputy Commissioner aad Assistant Commissioner for Elementary Education 

Thomas E. Finegan M.A. Pd.D. LL.D. 

Assistant Commissioner for Higher Education 

Augustus S. Downing M.A. L.H.D. LL.D. 

Assistant Commissioner for Secondary Education 

Charles F. Wheelock B.S. LL.D. 

Director of State Library 

James I. Wyer, Jr, M.L.S. 

Director of Science and State Museum 

John M. Clarke Ph.D. D.Sc. LL.D. 

Chiefs and Directors of Divisions 

Administration, George M. Wiley M.A. 

Agricultural and Industrial Education, Arthur D. Dean D.Sc, 

Director 
Archives and History, James Sullivan M.A. Ph.D., Director 
Attendance, James D. Sullivan 
Educational Extension, William R. Watson B.S. 
Examinations and Inspections, Harlan H. Horner M.A., Director 
Law, Frank B. Gilbert B.A., Counsel for the University 
Library School, Frank K. Walter M.A. M.L.S. 
School Buildings and Grounds, Frank H. Wood M.A. 
School Libraries, Sherman Williams Pd.D. 
Statistics, Hiram C. Case 
Visual Instruction, Alfred W. Abrams Ph.B, 



D. Of D, 
DEC 16 :316 






I 'J I / 



University ol tlie State of New Yori( Bulletin 

Entered as second-class mat'er August 2, 1913, at the Fost CfSce at Albany, N. Y., 
under the act of August 24, 1912 

Published fortnightly 
No. 626 ALBANY, N.Y. November i, 191 6 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE, MECHANIC ARTS 
AND HOMEMAKING 

DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL 
EDUCATION 

The Division of Agricultural and Industrial Education of the 
University of the State of New York is charged with the general 
supervision of vocational instruction and with the duty of gathering 
and making known all obtainable helpful information upon the 
subject. This bulletin furnishes information which will assist local 
authorities in establishing and maintaining schools of agriculture, 
mechanic arts and homemaking in accordance with the Education 
Law and the rules and regulations of the University. 

Whenever the establishment of any form of vocational instruction 
is contemplated in any locality in this State, application for pre- 
liminary advice and guidance should be freely made to this Division. 

EDUCATION LAW RELATIVE TO VOCATIONAL 
INSTRUCTION 

Article 22 of the Education Law of ipio, as amended by Laws of 

191 3, chapter 747 

Section 600 General industrial schools, trade schools and 
schools of agriculture, mechanic arts and homemaking, may be 
established in cities. The board of education of any city, and in 
a city not having a board of education the officer having the man- 
agement and supervision of the public school system, may establish, 
acquire, conduct and maintain as a part of the public school system 
of such city the following: 

1 General industrial schools open to pupils who have completed 
the elementary school course or who have attained the age of four- 
teen years, and 

2 Trade schools open to pupils who have attained the age of 
sixteen years and have completed either the elementary school 



4 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

course or a course in the above mentioned general industrial school 
or who have met such other requirements as the local school au- 
thorities may have prescribed ; and 

3 Schools of agriculture, mechanic arts and homemaking, open 
to pupils who have completed the elementary school course or who 
have attained the age of fourteen, or who have met such other 
requirements as the local school authorities may have prescribed ; 
and 

4 Part-time or continuation schools in which instruction shall be 
given in the trades and in industrial, agricultural and homemaking 
subjects, and which shall be open to pupils over fourteen years of 
age who are regularly and lawfully employed during a part of 
the day in any useful employment or service, which subjects shall 
be supplementary to the practical work carried on in such employ- 
ment or service, 

5 Evening vocational schools in which instruction shall be given 
in the trades and in industrial, agricultural and homemaking sub- 
jects, and which shall be open to pupils over sixteen years of age, 
who are regularly and lawfully employed during the day and which 
provide instruction in subjects related to the practical work carried 
on in such employment ; but such evening vocational schools provid- 
ing instruction in homemaking shall be open to all women over 
sixteen years of age who are employed in any capacity during the 
day. 

The word " school," as used in this article, shall include any 
department or course of instruction established and maintained in 
a public school for any of the purposes specified in this section. 
[As amended by Lazvs of 1913, chapter 7^7] 

§ 601 Such schools may be established in union free school 
districts. The board of education of any union free school dis- 
trict shall also establish, acquire and maintain such schools for like 
purposes whenever such schools shall be authorized by a district 
meeting. The trustee or board of trustees of a common school 
district may establish a school or a course in agriculture, mechanic 
arts and homemaking, when authorized by a district meeting. 
{As amended by Lazvs of 1913, chapter /4/] 

§ 602 Appointment of an advisory board. The board of edu- 
cation in a city and the officer having the management and super- 
vision of the public school system in a city not having a board of 
education shall appoint an advisory board of five members repre- 
senting the local trades, industries, and occupations. In the first 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 5 

instance two of such members shall be appointed for a term of one 
year and three of such members shall be appointed for a term of 
two years. Thereafter as the terms of such members shall expire 
the vacancies caused thereby shall be filled for a full term of two 
years. Any other vacancy occurring on such board shall be filled 
by the appointing power named in this section for the remainder 
of the unexpired term, 

§ 603 Authority of the board of education over such schools. 
The board of education in a city and the officer having the manage- 
ment and supervision of the public school system in a city not 
having a board of education and the board of education in a union 
free school district in which city or district a general industrial 
school, a trade school, a school of agriculture, mechanic arts and 
homemaking, or a part-time or continuation school, or an evening 
vocational school is established as provided in this article, is vested 
with the same power and authority over the management, super- 
vision and control of such school and the teachers or instructors 
employed therein as such board or officer now has over the schools 
and teachers under their charge. Such boards of education or 
such officer shall also have full power and authority: 

1 To employ competent teachers or inatructors. 

2 To provide proper courses of study. 

3 To purchase or acquire sites and grounds and to purchase, 
acquire, lease or construct and to repair suitable shops or buildings 
and to properly equip the same. 

4 To purchase necessary machinery, tools, apparatus and supplies. 
■ [As amended by Laws of 1913, chapter ^4/] 

§ 604 State aid for general industrial schools, trade schools, 
and schools of agriculture, mechanic arts and homemaking. 

1 The Commissioner of Education in the annual apportionment 
of the state school moneys shall apportion therefrom to each city 
and union free school district for each general industrial school, 
trade school, part-time or continuation school or evening vocational 
school, maintained therein for thirty-six weeks during the school 
year and employing one teacher whose work is devoted exclusively 
to such school, and having an enrolment of at least fifteen pupils 
and maintaining an organization and a course of study, and con- 
ducted in a manner approved by him, a sum equal to two-thirds of 
the salary paid to such teacher, but not exceeding one thousand 
dollars. 

2 He shall also apportion in like manner to each city, union 
free school district or common school district for each school of 



O THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

agriculture, mechanic arts and honiemaking, maintained therein for 
thirty-six weeks during the school year, and employing one teacher 
whose work is devoted exclusively to such school, and having an 
enrolment of at least fifteen pupils and maintaining an organization 
and course of study and conducted in a manner approved by him, 
a sum equal to two-thirds of the salary paid to such teacher. Such 
teacher may be employed for the entire year, and during the time 
that the said school is not open shall be engaged in performing such 
educational services as may be required by the board of education 
or trustees, under regulations adopted by the Commissioner of 
Education. Where a contract is made with a teacher for the entire 
year and such teacher is employed for such period, as herein pro- 
vided, the Commissioner of Education shall make an additional ap- 
portionment to such city or district of the sum of two hundred 
dollars. But the total amount apportioned in each year on account 
of such teacher shall not exceed one thousand dollars. 

3 The Commissioner of Education shall also make an additional 
apportionment to each city and union free school district for each 
additional teacher employed exclusively in the schools mentioned 
in the preceding subdivisions of this section for thirty-six weeks 
during the school year, a sum equal to one-third of the salary paid 
to each such additional teacher, but not exceeding one thousand 
dollars for each teacher. 

4 The Commissioner of Education, in his discretion, may ap- 
portion to a district or city maintaining such schools or employing 
such teachers for a shorter time than thirty-six weeks, or for a 
less time than a regular school day, an amount pro rata to the 
time such schools are maintained or such teachers are employed. 
This section shall not be construed to entitle manual training high 
schools or other secondary schools maintaining manual training 
departments, to an apportionment of funds herein provided for. 

Any person employed as teacher as provided herein may serve 
as principal of the school in which the said industrial or trade 
school or course, or school or course of agriculture, mechanic arts 
and homemaking, is maintained. [As amended by Laws of ipi3, 
chapter 7^7] 

§ 605 Application of such moneys. All moneys apportioned by 
the Commissioner of Education for schools vmder this article 
shall be used exclusively for the payment of the salaries of teach- 
ers employed in such schools in the city or district to which such 
moneys are apportioned. 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 7 

§ 606 Annual estimate by board of education and appropria- 
tions by municipal and school districts. 

1 The board of education of each city or the officer having the 
management and supervision of the public school system in a city 
not having a board of education shall file with the common council 
of such city, within thirty days after the commencement of the 
fiscal year of such city, a written itemized estimate of the ex- 
penditures necessary for the maintenance of its general industrial 
schools, trade schools, schools of agriculture, mechanic arts and 
homemaking, part-time or continuation schools or evening voca- 
tional schools, and the estimated amount which the city will re- 
ceive from the state school moneys applicable to the support of 
such schools. The common council shall give a public hearing to 
such persons as wish to be heard in reference thereto. The com- 
mon council shall adopt such estimate and, after deducting there- 
from the amount of State moneys applicable to the support of such 
schools, shall inckide the balance in the annual tax budget of such 
city. Such amount shall be levied, assessed and raised by tax upon 
the real and personal property liable to taxation in the city at the 
time and in the manner that other taxes for school purposes are 
raised. The common council shall have power by a two-thirds 
vote to reduce or reject any item included in such estimate. 

2 The board of education in a union free school district which 
maintains a general industrial school, trade school, a school of agri- 
culture, mechanic arts and homemaking, part-time or continuation 
schools or evening vocational schools, shall include in its estimate 
of expenses pursuant to the provisions of sections 323 and 327 of 
this chapter the amount that will be required to maintain such 
schools after applying toward the maintenance thereof the amount 
apportioned therefor by the Commissioner of Education. Such 
amount shall thereafter be levied, assessed and raised by tax upon 
the taxable property of the district at the time and in the manner 
that other taxes for school purposes are raised in such district. 
[As amended by Lazvs of iQi^, chapter 7^/] 

§ 607 Courses in schools of agriculture for training of 
teachers. The state schools of agriculture at St Lawrence Uni- 
versity, at Alfred University and at Morrisville may give courses 
for the training of teachers in agriculture, mechanic arts, domestic 
science or homemaking, approved by the Commissioner of Edu- 
cation. Such schools shall be entitled to an apportionment of money 
as provided in section 604 of this chapter for schools established 



8 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

in union free school districts. Graduates from such approved 
courses may receive hcenses to teach agricuUure, mechanic arts 
and homemaking in the pubHc schools of the State, subject to such 
rules and regulations as the Commissioner of Education may pre- 
scribe. 

NOTES ON THE LAW 

MEANING OF THE WORD " SCHOOL " 

Section 600 of the Education Law, which authorizes and fixes 
the character of the five kinds of vocational schools, defines the 
word " school," as used in that article (22) of the law, as includ- 
ing any department or course of instruction established and main- 
tained in a public school for any of the purposes specified in that 
section. 

A school of agriculture, mechanic arts, and homemaking must 
conduct a course in agriculture and may also offer a course in 
homemaking. These courses must be an integral part of the school. 

ADVISORY BOARD 

While the law does not require advisory boards in connection 
with the organization and management of schools of agriculture, 
mechanic arts and homemaking, outside of cities, it is necessary that 
the functions of such a board be performed. Unless local school 
authorities can give the advice and technical aid necessary in 
organizing the school and have the expert knowledge essential to 
determine the vocational efficiency of this instruction, a separate 
advisory board should be appointed by them. The membership of 
this board need not be fixed in number, but it should include men 
who are cooperating with the school by contributing material, 
giving demonstrations and lectures, carrying on experiments or in 
any other manner directly promoting the interests of the school. 

ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE, 
MECHANIC ARTS AND HOMEMAKING 

In a city, the board of education has authority to establish a 
school of agriculture, mechanic arts and homemaking, but in a 
union free school district or a common school district, whenever 
it is proposed to establish and maintain a school of agriculture, the 
question must be submitted to an annual or special district meeting. 
The resolution should be voted upon either by ballot or by taking 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 9 

and recording the ayes and noes. The resolution to be submitted 
at such meeting may be in the following form : 

Resolved. That the 1 ^'"f , °'\ ^^^'^^^ of trustees of K^j^^^j ^j^^^j^^ 
J board of education of union free j 

no town , county of , establish and maintain as 

a part of the public school system of such district a school of agriculture, 
mechanic arts and homemaking for the school year beginning August i, 19. ., 
and provide the necessary equipment and instruction therefor. 

After the resolution is adopted, provision should be made in 
the annual tax budget for the raising of such sum as may be neces- 
sary to carry out the provisions of the resolution. 

After a district has voted to establish a school it rests with the 
board of education to determine when the work in homemaking 
shall be started, but it is assumed that both the agriculture and the 
homemaking are contemplated when the district votes to establish 
the school. 

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS 
No teacher should be engaged for vocational work who has not a 
special authorizing certificate, which requires, generally, evidence 
of graduation from an approved high school, or the equivalent, and 
also from an approved professional institution wherein he com- 
pleted a four-year course of study in the subjects to be taught. 
It should be remembered that it is not sufficient simply to employ 
certified teachers; successful teaching by them, evidence of which 
will be secured to some extent by official inspection, will be needful 
to obtain or retain the necessary approval by the Commissioner of 
Education of the teaching force of such a school, as a satisfactory 
part of its organization. 

The Division of Agricultural and Industrial Education has no 
desire to select the teachers of agriculture and homemaking, but 
since the State pays two-thirds of the salary of the first teacher 
and one-third of the salary of each additional teacher of vocational 
subjects, it is incumbent upon the Division having charge of this 
work to insist that only the best available teachers be engaged. 
Boards of education should therefore consult with this Division 
before contracting with their vocational teachers. 

It is especially desirable that the same teacher, if efficient, be 
retained for several years as the experience gained each year, the 
knowledge of community conditions, and the touch with the home 
projects make the work increasingly effective. If teachers change 



lO THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

frequently it is hardly possible to make the most of this work. The 
following points concerning teachers of agriculture should be kept 
in mind: 

1 A teacher of agriculture should be thoroughly conversant with 
farm life, either through his home life or extended experience 
working on a farm. 

2 A teacher of agriculture in a secondary school is not to be a 
specialist in one or two agricultural subjects but should have a 
good general knowledge of the entire field, including soils, animal 
husbandry, dairy husbandry, poultry husbandry, farm crops, fruit 
growing, plant diseases, farm machinery, etc. 

3 A teacher of agriculture should have some knowledge of the 
science and art of teaching, gained either through special study 
or from teaching experience. A thorough knowledge of agriculture 
may be of little use unless the teacher has also some knowledge of 
how to direct the activities of pupils. 

4 A teacher of agriculture should understand the intent of voca- 
tional agriculture, should be familiar with the farm home and 
should understand the problem of connecting the school work and 
the home activities of the pupils. 

5 A teacher of agriculture should have some knowledge of 
mechanical drawing, woodworking and elementary blacksmithing. 

TYPES OF SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE, MECHANIC 
ARTS AND HOMEMAKING 

Two general types of agricultural schools are recognized by the 
Department, namely : 

I Intermediate schools of agriculture, mechanic arts and home- 
making. These are small schools of distinctly rural type offering 
four years of vocational work based upon six years of elementary 
school work. This type of school is not to be maintained in connec- 
tion with any other secondary school course or department. These 
schools are planned for districts which do not at present maintain 
an academic department. Districts now maintaining an academic 
department of junior or middle grade may reorganize and establish 
an intermediate school. The course is so organized that pupils 
who are graduated from the intermediate school may complete an 
approved high school course by two years of additional work. 

In addition to the elementary teaching staff there should be three 
vocational teachers : ( i ) a principal qualified to teach agriculture ; 
(2) a woman qualified to teach homemaking subjects; (3) a teacher 
qualified to teach English, history etc. Each of these teachers 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS II 

should hold a special vocational certificate for the particular work in 
which he or she is engaged. 

2 High schools of agriculture, mechanic arts and homeniaking. 
These are vocational departments of high schools located in villages 
and rural communities. Pupils in these departments recite English, 
history etc. in common with pupils in other departments of the 
school. It is therefore assumed that the principal of the school 
is also principal of the school of agriculture, mechanic arts and 
homemaking. Official communication should come from and be 
directed to him. 

CURRICULUMS AND COURSES OF STUDY 
The classroom and laboratory instruction in these schools and 
departments is to be based upon the practical experience gained on 
the farm, at home, or elsewhere. It is therefore impossible to pre- 
scribe courses of study or to prepare adequate outlines for particular 
subjects. This does not mean that the courses of study or curricu- 
lum are to be changed to suit the whims of pupils who do not know 
exactly what they want or need. Definite courses of study should 
be formulated at the beginning and followed until there is urgent 
need for a change. A well-balanced general knowledge of the entire 
field of agricultural science and practice should be represented in 
the curriculum. 

The following curriculums are not prescribed but it is expected 
that any school desiring to make any change will secure the approval 
of the Director of the Division of Agricultural and Industrial Edu- 
cation before doing so. Other subjects may, after approval, be 
substituted for those indicated below. It is expected that the 
arrangement of subjects and the content of those subjects will be 
suited to the community in which the school is located. 

SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR AN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL OF 
AGRICULTURE 
HOURS A HOURS A 

First year week Second year week 

(Seventh school year) English S 

English 5 Mathematics .q 

Arithmetic 5 History 5 

Geography 5 Agriculture or homemaking 10 

Agriculture or homemaking 10 

Third year Fourth year 

English 3 English 3 

Mathematics 5 History 3 

Biology 5 Mathematics 5 

Agriculture or homemaking 10 Agriculture or homemaking 10 



12 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR A HIGH SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE 

HOURS A HOURS A 

First year week Second year week 

English 4 English 3 

Algebra 5 Plane geometry 5 

Biology 5 History 3 

First year agriculture] Second year agriculture] 

or \- 10 or 1 10 

First year homemakingj Second year homemakingj 

Third year Fourth year 

English 3 English 3 

Physics or chemistry 5 American history with civics.... 5 

Third year agriculture] Fourth year agriculture] 

or 1 10 or S- lo 

Third year homemakingj Fourth year homemakingj 

NOTES CONCERNING THE CURRICULUM 

1 This plan calls for a double period each day for agriculture or 
for homemaking and is based on the assumption that the home 
project is a part of the work for each of the first three years; credit 
for the work each year is to be given only after completion of the 
project. 

2 First and second year agriculture are prerequisite to third and 
fourth year agriculture and first and second year homemaking are 
prerequisite to third and fourth year homemaking. 

3 Regents credit of 7^ counts is given for each year's work in 
either agriculture or homemaking when carried on in accordance 
with notes i and 2. 

4 In arranging the school program and the programs of the 
teachers of agriculture and homemaking, vocational pupils are the 
ones to be primarily considered. 

5 In order that one teacher may teach the four years of agricul- 
ture, it will be necessary to alternate at least some two years of 
the work. If the entering class is large each year it might be well 
to teach first and second year agriculture every year and alternate 
third and fourth year. This applies also to homemaking. 

6 A pupil who takes fourth year agriculture before third year 
agriculture may choose his project for the year along the line of 
either the third or fourth year's work. Since animal husbandry, 
dairy, fruit and farm management projects require at least a full 
year or, better, two years of time, it is advisable to start the third 
project at the beginning of the third year instead of waiting until 
March of that year. The project experience of the first two years 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS I3 

will enable the pupils to start the third project without much 
preliminary class work. 

7 For courses of study in agriculture and homemaking, see 
University of the State of New York Bulletin 624. 

STATE AID 
The Commissioner of Education apportions from the state school 
moneys to each school of agriculture, r^echanic arts and home- 
making a sum equal to two-thirds of the salary for the school year 
of the first teacher, and one-third the salary for the school year of 
each additional teacher, provided : 

1 That the time of such teachers is devoted exclusively to such 
school. This precludes the supervision of a general study hall and 
the teaching of other than vocational pupils. 

2 That the school has at least fifteen enrolled pupils. Pupils 
registered in the school and carrying on a project in conformity 
with the rules and regulations governing project work may be 
counted in the required fifteen. 

3 That such school maintains an organization and course of 
study and is conducted in a manner approved by the Commissioner 
of Education through the Division of Agricultural and Industrial 
Education. See page 6. 

SUMMER WORK OF THE TEACHER OF AGRICULTURE 
It is an essential part of the organization of the school that the 
teacher of agriculture be employed for service during the summer 
months. It is necessary for the board of education or trustees to 
determine the educational services to be rendered by this teacher 
during the time the school is not open (the summer vacation). 
This plan is to be submitted to the Division of Agricultural and 
Industrial Education. If the plan is approved and the work is 
satisfactorily done, additional apportionment will be made. The 
following suggestions will be of assistance to boards of education 
in planning this work. 

1 The year should begin in September rather than in June or 
July. 

2 Plans for the summer work of the teacher and the detailed 
plans of the pupils' home project work must be submitted to the 
Division of Agricultural and Industrial Education before April ist. 

3 Arrangements should be made concerning transportation for 
the teacher during the spring, summer and fall. It should be 



14 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

definitely understood whether he or the board is to provide means 
of transportation. 

4 The following are some phases of summer work suggested for 
the teacher of agriculture: (a) supervision of home project work 
carried on by boys who are enrolled in the school; (b) supervision 
of experiments or projects undertaken by boys or young men not in 
school but who may be interested: some of these boys may decide 
to enter school later; (c) collecting material for classroom and 
■laboratory use the following year; (d) locating objective points and 
making arrangements for field trips to be taken the following year ; 
(e) assisting local farmers to solve some of their troublesome 
problems when these farmers request such aid. 

Duplicate plans for home project work should be made, one to 
be kept on file in the school records and extended as the work 
progresses, the other to be sent to the Division of Agricultural and 
Industrial Education. Blanks for recording this work may be had 
on application to the Division. 

USE OF LAND 

The school may use a small plot of ground to advantage, but it 
is not necessary for it to have a farm. The teacher and pupils are 
expected to make use of the nearby farms and their equipment for 
much of the laboratory instruction. Pupils are also expected to 
make use of their home farms in the required project work. 

Arrangements for project work. That this work may be thus 
carried on, it is necessary that the teacher of agriculture serve the 
community during the greater part of the entire year and especially 
during the summer. When the school is closed and formal in- 
struction ceases, it is expected that the teacher will devote his time 
to making effective this home instruction. It is hoped that by this 
means not only will the boys have an opportunity to make their 
home work effective, but also that the teacher may get a thorough 
knowledge of the business conditions of the community and make 
it reflect itself in the instruction in school during the following 
years. 

Furthermore, before a pupil is registered in agriculture there 
should be a definite understanding with the parents concerning op- 
portunity to do project work. Some days during the planting 
season it may mean absence from other classes properly to get the 
project under way. Formal class work in the agriculture subjects 
will gradually be replaced by the individual work on the projects: 








A GROUP PROJECT 

Work of farm mechanics and poultry class at the high school, Stamford, N. Y. 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 1 5 

The diagram and accompanying explanation on the following pages 
will make clear the relation of the project to the class instruction. 

Explanation of diagram 

1 Vocational subjects. A department of agriculture is estab- 
lished in a high school with the assumption that nearly all pupils 
enrolling in the agricultural course have had some farm experi- 
ence. It is further assumed that each pupil has definitely decided 
upon farming as his vocation. These facts should be considered 
in determining the method of instruction. Previous and current 
farm experience supplemented by laboratory (including field) ex- 
perience should be the basis of the vocational work. During all 
the first and part of the second term of each year the time allotted 
in the schedule to vocational subjects should be used to give the 
pupils a good general knowledge of the particular subject studied. 
This instruction should include the best known practices and the 
science underlying them. Regular textbook assignments or read- 
ings should form a part of this work, but should always be related 
to the laboratory, field or farm experiences of the pupils. This 
general study of the subject should be continued until about March 
1st when the amount of time given to it will vary inversely with 
the amount given to project work. 

2 Project work (see page 12). At the beginning of each school 
year the teacher of agriculture should call the attention of pupils in 
his classes to the fact that before March ist each one is expected to 
have selected some project or problem along the line of one of the 
vocational subjects which he is to study that year. (Usually a 
pupil's first or second year project does not begin until April or May, 
but third and fourth year projects may begin at any time.) After 
March ist a part or all of the time set aside for laboratory and 
possibly some of the recitation time will be devoted to projects. 
Part of the time is spent in school reading references, drawing 
plans, constructing appliances, testing soil, or whatever else may be 
necessary in connection with a particular project. Some of the time 
is used at home to start and carry on the project properly. This 
work is essentially individual and therefore requires much time and 
patience on the part of both parent and teacher. 

In extreme cases when the pupil is unable to carry on a project 
at home, because of distance or lack of room, arrangements may be 
made by the school authorities or others interested for him to carry 
on the work elsewhere. 

Group projects are sometimes worked out on school land or in a 
school plant. 



l6 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 



• HIGH • SCHOOL AeDICULTGDE: 



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SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS I7 

3_ Nontechnical studies. Vocational pupils are to have not more 
than seven-twelfths of their work along nontechnical lines, that is, 
history, English, mathematics, and science. Vocational teachers in 
departments of agriculture in high schools are not to teach agri- 
cultural biology, agricultural chemistry, and agricultural physics as 
separate subjects but are to include the elements of such instruction 
as a part of the agricultural subjects in which any particular element 
naturally appears. Thus a pupil's first instruction in chemistry 
might be in a class in soils and fertilizers. Biology, physics and 
chemistry are then classed as nontechnical studies and vocational 
pupils together with pupils from other departments will study these 
subjects in classes taught by nonvocational teachers. 

4 Professional improvement for the instructor. If the teacher 
of agriculture is employed for the summer work he should also be 
retained for the spring vacation in case it occurs at a time when 
projects may be started. If a teacher is so retained, there is little 
time left for him in which to keep in touch with higher institutions. 
It is suggested that the teacher of agriculture be given a vacation 
extending from the beginning of the Christmas recess to the be- 
ginning of the second term of school, or the close of the January 
Regents examinations. A part of this time should be spent by him 
in study. The vocational pupils during this period might well devote 
their time to the nontechnical subjects. 

ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT 
The rooms and equipment provided for the departments of agri- 
culture and homemaking should be as modern and convenient as 
for any other part of the school. Rooms are not to be used for this 
work unless they are well heated, lighted, ventilated, and perfectly 
sanitary. 

THE LABORATORY 

The purpose of the laboratory and its equipment is supplementary 
to that of the field. It furnishes a means for demonstrating various 
phases of agriculture and affords an opportunity for securing in- 
dividual experience. One large room properly equipped to serve as 
a combination recitation room and laboratory has been found most 
satisfactory (see figure 2). It frequently happens that an exercise 
may be part recitation and part laboratory. Material and apparatus 
commonly used in the laboratory are also usually necessary for 
classroom demonstration. Centering all work and materials in one 
room saves time and trouble. A chair with a drop arm makes the 



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Class and laboratory work at Highland 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 21 

best seat for such a room. When the arm is lowered the chair may 
be used at the side table. For any demonstration exercise such as 
butter or cheese making, the center of the room may be cleared and 
plenty of space provided for the work. When any great amount of 
dairy work is indicated in the course of study, a special cement- 
floor room should be provided and properly equipped with the 
necessary appliances of a home dairy. Thesfe rooms should have 
running water and gas when possible. To save cost of plumbing, 
it is better to have the water taps in the laboratory at one sink with 
a single drain (see figure 2, page 18). This sink should be at least 
4 feet long, and preferably 6. The gas pipe should run above the 
tables with double stopcocks so situated that each pupil may have 
a burner. If gas is inaccessible, alcohol or other burners should be 
provided. The agriculture room should be near the ground with 
easy access to the outside of the building so that classes may readily 
pass in and out without disturbing others in the building. 

Ample case room should be provided for apparatus, laboratory 
supplies and demonstration material (see figure 3, page 19). The 
upper doors should be of glass so that material may be readily 
located. The lower doors should be of wood, since glass so low 
down is frequently broken. The following list of materials in the 
cases shown in the plate facing page 18 indicates the uses to be 
made of such cases: 

Case I (at left) 

Shelf A. Fertilizers. (Collected locally) 

(Top shelf). Fertilizers. (Standard from department of soils. 

New York State College of Agriculture) 

Shelf B. Poultry feeds. (Collected locally) 

Shelf C. Insect mounts. (Life histories) 

Shelf D. Crops in sheaf. (Collected locally) 

Shelf E. Insect mounts. (Life histories) 

Lower section. Apparatus. 

Case 2 
Shelf A. Threshed grains. (Collected locally) 

Threshed grains. (Standard market grades pur- 
chased from University of Nebraska, depart- 
ment of instructional agronomy) 
Shelf B. Shelled corn. (Standard types) 

Corn products. 
Grains. (Standard grades) 
Shelf C. Grass seeds. (Standard) 

Grass seeds. (Collected from local market) 
Grasses in head. (Standard) 
'J Grasses in head. (Collected locally) 



22 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

Shelves D and E. Wheat, oats and barley in head. (Standard and 

local collections) 
Shelf F. Corn in ear. (Standard types) 

Grain in sheaf. (Collected locally) 

Case J 

Shelves A and B. Agricultural books. 

Shelf C. bulletins. 

Shelves D and E. Plant pathology specimens and laboratory supply. 
(Collected locally and secured from depart- 
ment of plant pathology, New York State Col- 
lege of Agriculture) 

Shelf F. Apparatus. 

The laboratory should also contain plenty of drawer space. See 
figure 4, page 20. If possible, all cases should be mouse-proof so 
that grains and other edible material may be safely stored. The 
blackboard should be mounted in a frame so squared up and finished 
that a T square may be used for the construction of blackboard 
figures. 

The side tables should be at least 2 feet wide and 30 inches high. 
There should be a drawer for each 2 feet of length (see figure 3, 
page 19, and figure 5, page 20). The tops should be smooth- 
matched and finished in such a way that they may be protected from 
damage and kept clean and smooth. 

EQUIPMENT 

The equipment needed for teaching agriculture in the high school 
depends upon the nature of the work to be given. Apparatus need 
not be elaborate but it must be adequate if the teaching is to be 
effective. Agriculture requires a definite, special equipment, and 
adequate provision for agriculture teaching requires an expenditure 
greater than for any of the other sciences. Outdoor as well as 
indoor work must be considered. Some of the materials and appa- 
ratus used in the physical, chemical or biological laboratories may 
also be used by the teacher of agriculture but in no case is such 
equipment alone sufficient. A list of the kinds and amount of 
materials needed should be made out at least once a year by the 
teacher of agriculture. The board of education should see that 
funds for such material are provided without delay. Laboratory 
supplies for the year should, as far as possible, be secured before the 
opening of the school in the fall. In compiling a list of the equip- 
ment and material needed the teacher should go over his outlines of 
work for the coming year and carefully note his probable needs. In 
case a school is starting the work for the first time, no orders should 







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SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 



23 




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24 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

be placed until the teacher has been engaged and consulted. In 
ordering supplies and equipment, care should be taken to secure 
enough to provide for the whole class. Local material should be 
collected by the teacher and pupils and some of the apparatus may 
be constructed in the school but it must be remembered that this 
takes time and labor. Unless great saving is to be made or an edu- 
cational aim served and the product entirely satisfactory, it is better 
to purchase in the open market. A fund should be set aside for the 
purchase of such apparatus and material as can not be secured in 
advance of the opening of the school year. 

The shop room. Under average conditions the room for shop- 
work can be found. It should be at least i6 by 24 feet in area, well 
lighted, and preferably with a south exposure. Rooms not already 
suitable for the purpose may often be made so at small expense. If 
absolutely necessary, a basement room may be fitted up. In this 
case additional windows will frequently be needed. 

Under the row of windows there should be a continuous bench, 
preferably built of two-inch planks. This bench ought to be 24 or 
30 inches wide. It should be provided with wood vises, at intervals 
of 5 feet. (See plan, figure 6, page 23.) 

At the end of the bench nearest the forge and anvil there should 
be one blacksmith's iron vise or machinist's swivel vise. A good 
grindstone, mounted by the pupils, can be placed conveniently, and 
vertical cabinets for the tools belonging to the school can be built 
by the first class from their own designs. Some open space should 
be reserved in the middle of the room for the use of sawhorses, for 
setting up work in course of construction, and for testing the opera- 
tion of machines. The forge should be so placed as to exhaust the 
smoke and gases into the regular furnace stack when possible. 

The ceiling of the room should be properly prepared to deaden the 
sound of work being done in the shop. The under side of the floor 
joists overhead should be sheathed with " deadening felt," and this 
covered by a tight wooden ceiling or by lathing and plastering. 
Metallic ceiling should not be used because of its sound-conducting 
properties. 

The floor should be of wood except around the forge and anvil. 
Cement floors are cold and hard on the pupils' feet. An edged tool 
may be spoiled by dropping on a cement floor. If cement founda- 
tion is used, the corner designed for the forge may be left un- 
covered when the wood floor is laid. If the room to be used as a 
shop already has a wood floor, a covering of zinc, tin or galvanized 
iron should be placed in the corner where the forge and anvil are to 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 2^ 

stand (see figure 6, page 23). The shop room should contain a 
blackboard arranged for the use of a T square as described on 
page 22. The outside of the doors of the wall tool cabinet or ease 
should be of soft pine and smooth enough to be used as a bulletin 
board for blue prints, drawings etc. If the side walls are of brick, 
stone or metal, it is well to have a wooden back run up 16 or 18 
inches from the benches. On this back may be placed temporary 
racks for tools (see plate 4). 

In some cases it has been advisable to have the shop detached 
from the school building (see plate 5). In such a shop the gen- 
eral plans mentioned above are entirely feasible. 

Some schools have built a separate building to accommodate the 
agriculture and homemaking work. These buildings should con- 
form in general to the plans outlined for laboratory and shop. 

SHOP EQUIPMENT 

The tools and other equipment necessary for an average class of 
ten pupils should be provided, and should be first-class in every 
respect. It does not pay the school or individuals to buy tools of 
an inferior grade. Better grades are always cheaper in the end, and 
what is still more important, they do not easily get out of order and 
thus hinder the pupil in his work. It is important that they should 
be tools of men's size, suitable for use on any first-class farm. The 
use of smaller tools would easily bring the whole course into dis- 
repute among practical school patrons ; but this should not in any 
way discourage the purchase of small sets of standard tools by 
individual pupils. The individual chests for keeping such tools can 
well be made, from careful working drawings, by the pupils them- 
selves. 

DUPLICATION OF MONEY FOR APPARATUS AND UTENSILS 

Money expended for books and apparatus, including tools and 
utensils to be used in the vocational departments of high schools, 
will be duplicated from the academic fund in the same way as ex- 
penditures for physical and chemical apparatus. No duplication 
will be made for money expended for unbound periodicals, series 
or sets of books by different authors, textbooks, furniture, fixtures, 
benches, machinery, chemicals or supplies consumed in using. 

TEACHER OF AGRICULTURE AS PRINCIPAL 

In case a qualified teacher of agriculture is serving as principal, 
he may be considered as the first teacher of agriculture under the 



26 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 

following conditions, namely, that (a) all his teaching is of voca- 
tional subjects; (6) he teaches at least fifteen hours each week, 
each double laboratory period counting as one hour; (c) an assist- 
ant is provided. This arrangement should not be made without 
consulting the Division as it is sometimes difficult to maintain a 
satisfactory organization when the teacher of agriculture acts as 
principal. 

NONRESIDENT TUITION 

Nonresident pupils of academic grade from districts not having 
academic departments who are enrolled in the vocational courses 
may, under the same conditions as pupils taking the ordinary high 
school work, be counted for payment of tuition by the State. 

TIME OF RECEIVING APPORTIONMENTS 

The apportionments to vocational schools are based upon the 
annual reports rendered at the close of the school year and are 
paid with the district and teachers quotas in March and May fol- 
lowing the close of the school year. 

ACADEMIC COUNTS 

There are no Regents examinations in the farm or home instruc- 
tion given in vocational schools, and no application for credit can be 
considered until the work has been approved after inspection and 
the proper certification made by the principal of the school. 

PROCEDURE IN ORGANIZING SCHOOLS OF AGRI- 
CULTURE, MECHANIC ARTS AND HOMEMAKING 

Preliminary to a more direct understanding with the Commis- 
sioner of Education the following suggestions are offered to per- 
sons interested in the establishment and maintenance of one or 
more courses of vocational instruction : 

1 Understand the purpose and requirements of vocational agri- 
culture. 

2 Find out if the community is prepared to meet these require- 
ments, especially in regard to (a) cooperation of farmers; (b) 
number of pupils who have the consent and cooperation of parents 
in carrying on the work including home projects; (c) schoolroom 
and equipment for carrying on the work satisfactorily ; (d) arrange- 
ments for the project work of pupils who do not live on farms. 



Plate 5 




Separate building for shopwork on school grounds at Stamford. The attic 
is used as a storeroom 




Interior of shop at Stamford 



SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 2J 

3 Secure a vote of the district to determine if the community 
wants the school. 

4 Investigate the record of some man who is competent to teach 
agriculture. The qualifications of teachers on page 9 furnish an 
idea of what is required. Find out from the Division of Agricul- 
tural and Industrial Education whether his record of training and 
experience is adequate. 

5 Lay out the proposed curriculum. 

6 Submit the curriculum together with data secured in accord- 
ance with (2) to the Division. 



